Collecting and disposing of trash in confined conditions, particularly on-board passenger transport vehicles, such as aircraft, trains, ships, buses, RVs, and other water or air travel vessels can be challenging. However, a good deal of rubbish is generated on such vehicles. For example, after in-flight beverage service, unused items are collected, which often includes drink cups, napkins, newspapers, food wrappers, tea bags, beverage cans, other packaging or non-consumable items and the like, food wastes, or any other type of disposable item that a passenger may consume or bring on-board.
Trash compactors are thus often used in aircraft and other vehicle galleys in order to manage the amounts of trash generated. If the main door of the trash compactor is opened during a compaction cycle, there are built-in safety sensors on the main door that deactivate the downward movement of the platen (the plunger-like plate that raises and lowers in order to compress the trash in the compactor unit) to prevent harm to the user. Although this deactivation addresses a definite safety need, it fails to address the nuisance that occurs when the main door is opened before the trash container in the unit is full.
Because compaction applies a substantial load on the contents of the trash container in the compactor unit, the sides of the container exert a continuous force against the main door and walls of the compactor unit. This force causes the container to expand, press, or bulge outwardly against the door and walls—this is normally not of concern because the container is supported and contained by all sides of the compactor unit. However, if the main door is prematurely opened during the compaction cycle when the platen is applying pressure or force to the container contents, it causes the container to bulge out the front door opening. The container can also bulge out if the main door is opened at any time between one of the compaction cycles, but before the container is entirely full and ready to be removed from the unit. Once the container bulges out, it is difficult (if not impossible) to re-close the front door in order for the compression/compaction cycle to continue. Consequently, no more trash can be loaded, and no more compaction cycles can take place. The partially full box must be removed and replaced with an empty box. If the platen gets jammed where it can't be retracted, the attendant usually has to rip the trash container apart, empty its contents on the floor, position a new container in the compactor unit, re-load the trash into the new container, and being the compaction cycle again. This is a messy and time-consuming process.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a mechanism that prevents the main door of a trash compactor from being opened any time that a compaction cycle is taking place.